Volume 4 - CH 56.7

Act 4-56.7: Crossroad of Fate(Side: Somni Barrel)

「Ho~, so does that means the leader of the vice headmaster faction, Krab Ahnstein was the mastermind behind this incident?」

Kai Heineman asked so to Inea while tapping the table with his index finger.

「Yes. At the very least, none of my subordinates was involved in this matter.」

「So the headmaster faction held no responsibility in this matter since you guys are unaware of this place. Is that what you wanted to say?」

Kai Heineman stopped tapping the table and asked Inea again.

The sound of people from Babel’s side who were present in the room swallowing their saliva resounded in the room.

「No, I felt that the other faction is up to something, and decided to use you to hinder their plan.」

Kai Heineman was staring in silence toward Inea for a while after that but, he then sent a glance toward the monster with a long nose who stood on the edge of his vision, and heaved a sigh,

「Oh whatever, it seems my subordinates also secretly moving behind the scene and guarantee the safety of the test-takers. Most of all, no harm comes to me. But, I’ll only overlook your action just this once. This will be your first and last time. I hated it when someone tried to use me in this way.」

And concluded the case.

「Understood.」

The people from Babel’s side heaved a sigh as if they just awakened from a nightmare upon hearing the judgement for Inea.

That came from a youth with a gift that literally turned him into the most incompetent person in this world. And yet, Somni understood that the people from Babel’s side, including Inea, truly feel relieved upon hearing that they’re being pardoned.

「If that’s the case, we already punished the idiot called Krab. I’ll leave it to you guys from Babel to deal with the aftermath.」

「Yes. We’ve made an arrangement for that.」

Headmaster Inea secretly clenched her fists under the table as if to express her delight, the woman who stood at the summit of one of the biggest organizations in this world, Babel was in fact truly scared of Kai Heineman from the bottom of her heart.

「Next is the matter of Amelia kingdom. Rose, sorry about this but――」

Kai Heineman turned toward Rosemary, and actually stuttered with his words.

「Don’t worry about it. Killing on own subordinates are the biggest taboo for royalty. There’s no room for sympathy for those who break that taboo. Even if the person is my own blood related brother.」

Rosemary said so with a determined look on her face despite clenching her fists so hard. 　Kai Heineman nodded, then looked toward Somni and the youth beside him. The freckles youth was an apprentice knight, Tetle. Though Tetle came from a family of noble of low status in Amelia kingdom, his family had served the royalty for generations. Therefore, he was chosen as a playmate for Gilbert, the royal family had also made the arrangement for Tetle to enter Babel and continue serving Gilbert during that time. Nevertheless, when it comes to knowing that he was accepted in the worst and lowest rank academy in Babel, Ouboro academy, the other guardian knights including Tamri started treating Tetle like an incompetent.

「I think you’ve been aware of this fact but let me make it clear for you two, the mastermind behind this incident involved you two are the 1st prince of Amelia kingdom, Gilbert Loto Amelia. Seeing that many people died during this incident, he has to receive his punishment. Al, the kingdom won’t object to this decision, right?」

「Nope. You received permission from His Majesty.」

Arnold the knight leader nodded with a mortified look on his face.

Kai Heineman looking at Somni and Tetle and,

「Are you two hate Gilbert?」

He asked that question without beating around the bush.

Hate? He tried to kill me! Of course, I hate him for that! Not to mention that he wanted to kill Lyla and Egg who are completely unrelated to this matter. And the reason was that I’m too weak.

「I… Hate him.」

The voice that came out of my throat was filled with hatred.

「I also can’t trust him anymore.」

Tetle also spoke while looking at the table, his body was trembling from rage.

Seeing that, Somni knew that Gilbert was trying to dispose of Tetle too. Even though Tetle had always been together with Gilbert since their childhood, Somni was still shocked to know that not even Gilbert’s childhood friend was spared from Gilbert’s cruelty. Gilbert’s idiocy was truly beyond saving.

Hearing that, both Rosemary and Arnold frowned. But, Somni really couldn’t bring himself to forgive the man who could easily betray his own comrade.

「Then here is a question. Do you want Gilbert to die?」

「Eh?」

Both let out dumbfounded voices at the same time. They then saw Kai Heineman looking at them with an expression as if he didn’t care about this matter.

「Now listen to my explanation. I won’t show mercy to those who pick a fight with me. Even if he is just a greenhorn, I won’t forgive those who tried to harm those who are dear to me. And GIlbert really did try to harm the people dear to me. Therefore, his end has already been decided the moment he oversteps his boundary. Or so it was supposed to be…」

「Supposed to be?」

「Yeah, the two of you ended up involved in the quarrel between us. This matter was entirely on me. That’s why I’ll give you guys the privilege to stop me from killing Gilbert. Now let me ask you again, are you going to allow me to kill Gilbert?」

Somni knew that Kai Heineman wasn’t joking or testing them when he asked that question, he was serious. In fact, this matter was conveyed to him as soon as he saw the expression on Rosemary’s and Arnold’s faces.

「Permission to kill that guy huh…」

To be honest, after the incident during the entrance exam, Somni come to hate Gilbert so much to the point that he wanted the latter to die. As a knight, his chivalry also wouldn’t allow such horrible human beings to get the chance to rule Amelia kingdom. Those were his true feeling. Not to mention that he didn’t even feel a shred of guilt even if he allow Kai Heineman to kill Gilbert. That is just how much Somni came to hate Gilbert.

But――

（I guess I can’t do that huh…）

Just like how Somni couldn’t bring himself to hate his father who arranged match-fixing for him in the martial arts tournament, Gilbert also had a family who was worrying about him. Rosemary was obviously showing an expression as if she was waiting for her own judgement right now. And she was obviously on bad terms with Gilbert. Somni pretty much guessed that the king of Amelia kingdom himself must feel the same way as Rosemary right now. It was almost impossible for Somni and Tetle to forgive Gilbert after what he did to them.

More over―― No, I shouldn’t think of that now.

「「I don’t want Gilbert(His Highness) to die.」」

Somni’s voice overlapped with Tetle.

Kai Heineman stared silently toward Somni and Tetle but,

「Understood. I won’t kill him. But, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to let him off unpunished either. I’ll give him a test. Is that decision satisfy your wish?」

「O-Of course!」

Rosemary thanked Somni and Tetle repeatedly since she heard them forgive her brother.

Somni felt his chest tighten seeing Rosemary acting like that. At the same time, Somni understood something else.

「But then, speaking of not punishing that stupid prince, who will take the blame then? There’s no way he won’t go unpunished after he caused such a huge incident right?」

When the wild and muscular man then asked that question.

「I’ve prepared a scapegoat for that. We can use that idiot knight called Tamri. Push all the blame on him. His fate has been decided anyway, he either received capital punishment or become Beelze’s toy till he died. Both are the same.」

A chill ran down Somni’s spine the moment he saw Kai Heineman make such declaration with a smile on his face.

「Same as always eh, Shifu.」

The face of Babel’s staffs-including Inea- paled the moment the wild-looking and muscular man said so. Arnold was the only one who heaved a sigh with a wry smile on his face.

「My apologies, I ended up involving you two in our quarrel. Do you have a wish that you want to fulfil? I’ll try my best to help you to fulfil your wish as long as it’s possible.」

The current Somni really had no other wish. He just wanted to become strong.

He knew that he wouldn’t be able to protect anything dear to him if he was weak.

「I want to become strong.」

Thus, he expressed his true feeling. He wanted to receive the teaching of Kai Heineman. Because the current him had finally understood why his friend changed after he saw Kai Heineman’s match back then. Kai Heineman was really strong. Moreover, his strength had surpassed anyone in this world. That matter was pretty much clear after he saw the otherworldly beings who kneeled toward Kai Heineman a while ago.

「A wish to become strong… is it?」

Kai Heineman squinted his eyes as he looked into Somni’s eyes for a while and,

「M-Me too.」

Tetle was also bowing his head to Kai Heineman.

The otherworldly beings have raised a ruckus. They had never expected that Somni and co would demand such a request.

『Speaking of becoming stronger, are they asking us?』

『No, they might be asking Our Supreme Ruler.』

『NO! ABSOLUTELY NO! HOW DARE THEY ASK SUPREME RULER-SAMA TO TEACH THEM IN PERSON, I’M SO JEALO―― I MEAN, I WON’T LET THEM TO DISTURB SUPREME RULER-SAMA WHOSE SCHEDULE IS ALREADY FILLED! LET THEM MAKE A PACT WITH US!』

Hearing the monster with a long nose scream like that,

『Oi Girimekhala, what’s the right you have to make such a decision on your own!?』

When the man with an intimidating look on his face shouted in irritation, the grotesque beings were starting to offer themselves to become Somni and Tetle’s teachers.

「No, the one responsible for this matter is me, so I should be the one to take responsibility. I’ve no problem with taking that role too. Is that okay with you two? I mean, I’m literally the political enemy of both of your fathers you know?」

「I decided to take a different path from my father. I won’t walk on the same path as him again.」

He said so with a melancholic look on his face.

「Is that the same for you too?」

Kai Heineman scratched his head upon seeing Tetle nod to him but,

「Okay then. I’ll train you guys.」

He gave the answer that Somni and Tetle wished to hear the most.

「「T-THANK YOU VERY MUCH!」」」

Thus, both of them bowed as they expressed their gratitude.

「But since I’m a swordsman, I can only teach you guys swordcraft. When it comes to something other than that. Come to think of it…」

Kai Heineman touched his chin as he spoke, and pondered for a while before he opened his mouth again,

「Deimos, you’re responsible to teach them magic.」

And gave such order to the black skeleton.

『Me… Are you sure?』

The Black Skeleton was asking timidly as he cast a glance toward the other otherworldly being.

「Are you dissatisfied?」

『That’s absurd! It’s just that I’m not sure if someone as insignificant as me is fitting for such impo――』

「That’s why I entrusted this job to you as a way to repay your failure to guard Lyla a few days ago. I did tell you that you’ve to compensate for your failure back then right?」

『It’s just as you say bu-』

Kai Heineman heaved a sigh and then,

「If you feel sorry for your failure, then teach these two properly! A former human like you is the most suitable teacher to teach human children after all.」

He forced the duty on Deimos with no way out.

「YES! YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND!」

Hearing that order, Deimos kneeled on the floor and bowed respectfully to Kai Heineman.

The two mels(metres) tall muscular man with a wild look on his face observing the situation with an amused look on his face stood from his seat and then walked toward Somni and co with an extremely delighted look on his face,

「Best regard, fellow pupils!」

And struck the two youth’s backs.

This was the moment when Somni and Tetle rose to the stage that would decide the fate of the world.